Alvey Systems, an FKI Logistex member company and leading integrator of automated material flow solutions, announces that it has joined the Robotic Industries Association (RIA. The membership strengthens Alvey Systems' leading position as a robotics integrator for material handling applications.

RIA is the only trade group in North America organized specifically to serve the robotics industry. Member companies include leading robot manufacturers, users, system integrators, component suppliers, research groups, and consulting firms.

"Our membership in RIA underscores our commitment to providing our customers with the most advanced robotics for their material handling needs," said Steve Ackerman, president, Alvey Systems. "This commitment is evidenced by our 50 percent growth in robotics work over the last two years."

Alvey Systems robotics are used by customers for palletizing and depalletizing operations. The company integrates articulated robotic arms from Motoman, Inc. (www.motoman.com) in a partnership that began in 2000. It was awarded Motoman's "Rookie Of The Year" award in 2001 in recognition of its first year sales with Motoman.

Alvey Systems also builds and integrates its own line of gantry robots, which it started in the mid-1990s. Though gantry robots have a larger footprint than robotic arm platforms, they provide more flexibility in the utilization of the shape and size of the work envelope.

"Our robotics capabilities give us more ways to meet our customers' palletizing and depalletizing needs," said Frank Pellegrino, vice president, machine group, Alvey Systems. "Using robotics has allowed us to serve a broader range of customers than we could typically serve economically or logistically with our conventional palletizers or depalletizers."